The Inez native was born in 1929, the youngest of seven children. In 1940, he and his family moved closer to Victoria, where his father helped construct a new Army air base.

With four brothers serving overseas, Easley assumed family responsibilities at age 15. He graduated Victoria High School two years later and joined the Marine Air Corps, where he worked as an aircraft mechanic.

Easley enrolled at Victoria College after an honorable discharge and, in 1951, was among the first 40 men hired at the new DuPont chemical plant. Three years later, he purchased and operated a residential service station in Victoria.

In 1956, Easley bought a small roofing company and grew it from four employees to 100, with sales reaching $7 million to $8 million. That business, Easley Roofing Co., began roofing track houses and moved onto commercial roofing, with work throughout the state.